Seravalli: Derek Clancey emerges as Canucks Assistant GM target

Jim Rutherford has been in office for just a few days as the Vancouver Canucks’ president of hockey operations, but he is closing in on making his first front office hire.

Sources tell Daily Faceoff that Rutherford has targeted Calgary Flames pro scout Derek Clancey to fill one of Vancouver’s vacant assistant general manager openings.

Clancey, 52, was hired in Calgary this past summer. He spent the previous 15 years in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. He was originally tapped as a pro scout in 2007 by then-GM Ray Shero. Rutherford inherited Clancey as director of pro scouting, then promoted him in 2019 to director of player personnel after becoming a trusted advisor on transactions and signings.

The Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland native departed the Penguins following Rutherford’s resignation last season.

Clancey is expected to become one of three potential assistant GMs in Vancouver – all with different roles, voices and hockey backgrounds. That trio would report to the yet-to-be hired GM, and all four will work under the tutelage of Rutherford, who will guide in addition to mentor.

In addition, Rutherford will rely on the insight and opinion of current Canucks front office advisors, including Stan Smyl, Hendrik and Daniel Sedin, as well as Abbotsford Canucks GM Ryan Johnson.

Sources say Rutherford is in active conversation with other candidates, though none are quite as far down the road as Clancey.

The Canucks improved to 5-0-0 under new head coach Bruce Boudreau on Tuesday night, all while carefully navigating another Covid-19 outbreak with four players added to the protocol in the last 24 hours, including Luke Schenn, Brad Hunt, Juho Lammikko and Tucker Poolman – who was pulled from the game after Vancouver received word of his positive.